


You're Not What I Expected

by Anonymous



Category: Chronicles of Narnia (Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys Kissing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Nightmares, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, edmund pevensie needs a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:34:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28756722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Edmund Pevensie is born without a soulmark, and as the years go by, he becomes more and more convinced that he’ll never get one. Prince Caspian is born with the name King Edmund the Just on his forearm and firmly believes his soulmate died centuries ago.They’re both in for a surprise.
Relationships: Caspian/Edmund Pevensie
Comments: 9
Kudos: 358
Collections: Anonymous





	You're Not What I Expected

Edmund Pevensie is born without a soulmark. That isn’t an uncommon occurrence in itself, since one’s soulmark only appears after the birth of their destined one. Peter didn’t get his own before he was two years old and so their parents don’t give it too much thought at first.

What isn’t normal, however, is that even as the years go by, Edmund stays markless. Even worse, all of his siblings get the name of their soulmate etched on their forearm, even Lucy who is younger than him, while he’s deprived of his own. He can’t help but grow resentful of them, because why do they get the certainty of a happy future when he doesn’t?

As time passes by, he overhears his parents talking worriedly about it, because of how much _younger_ than him his soulmate will be, if he ever gets a soulmate at all, that is. While listening to them, Edmund realizes that even if his soulmate was born today, it would take years before he would even be able to hold a proper conversation with them, and their relationship would be seen as scandalous by the rest of the world because of their age difference.

He cries about it when no one’s looking, ugly tears running down his freckled cheeks. He hates the worried looks his mother sends him sometimes. It’s not like he asked not to have a soulmark! He would have loved to be born with one, to know that there was someone his age waiting for him, but apparently good things just don’t happen to him.

His only mercy is the required privacy surrounding soulmates. He can cover his blank forearm and have everyone outside of his household assume that there is a mark underneath. It doesn’t soothe his pain, but at least it protects him from the inevitable mockeries that would fall on him otherwise.

Then the war breaks out and everything just gets worse. First, his father leaves to fight for their country, then they are sent away to the countryside, far from everything Edmund has ever known. He’s angry at everyone, at his parents who aren’t there, at his siblings, at his soulmate for not existing yet.

That’s when Narnia happens. Looking back on it, he feels like such a fool for falling for the White Witch’s promises and manipulations. However, it doesn’t change what he does, how led by selfishness and resentment, he almost dooms his whole family.

Sure, he fights alongside Peter against her and his intervention is crucial in their victory, but deep down, he knows he’ll never manage to repay his debt to his siblings. Even as he’s crowned king in Cair Paravel, the thought doesn’t leave his mind.

His arm stays devoid of any soulmark, but he doesn’t feel as angry about it anymore. Maybe the universe knew all this time that he was meant to become a terrible human being, unworthy of love. Maybe it’s for the best that no one is stuck with a traitor for a soulmate.

And if he sobs about it at night in the confines of his room, it’s his business and nobody else’s.

He sure can’t bother his siblings with it, not after what he’s put them through. So instead, he focuses on becoming the best king Narnia could ever wish for, even though he knows it’ll never be enough. He pours all the love he’ll never be able to give his soulmate onto Peter and Susan and Lucy, trying his hardest to be the brother they deserve.

They rule together for years and bring Narnia into the Golden Age. During that time, Edmund becomes a skilled diplomat, chess-player, and swordfighter. He secures solid alliances with other countries and makes sure justice is always served fairly. Still, he stays markless. To him, it’s proof that his assumptions were right, that he is cursed to stay alone because of his betrayal.

He has countless nightmares where the White Witch taunts him about how he’ll never be loved. It takes all of his strength to shut her out, to remind himself that she’s dead, that she can’t hurt any of them anymore. And no matter what she can say, he has his family, and it’s already more than enough, more than a traitor deserves, he convinces himself.

One day, the white stag is spotted in the forest and Edmund finds himself faced with more urgent problems than aching about not having a soulmate when he suddenly has to adapt himself back to living in England again.

* * *

Caspian is born with a soulmark. That isn’t something uncommon in itself. What is, however, is for a baby to have the name of a King of Old written on his arm. Marks work in a peculiar way; they evolve with time as your soulmate grows and changes to reflect how they are seen by the world, what makes them remarkable.

From the day he is born, Caspian’s whole mark reads as follows: _King Edmund the Just, Duke of Lantern Waste, Count of the Western March, Knight of the Noble Order of the Table_. It takes him years before he can understand what all of it means. Soon, he is taught by his father to cover it at all times and to never, ever, let anyone else see it.

His obvious link to Narnia plays a big part in convincing his father to let Cornelius teach him about the old legends. His preceptor is never made aware of who Caspian’s soulmate is, though, and the prince respects his father’s wish and stays silent on the matter. However, he can barely contain his enthusiasm whenever his teacher mentions King Edmund in his stories.

Even after his father dies, Caspian doesn’t reveal who his soulmate is to anyone. When Miraz asks him about it in the middle of a conversation, an inexplicable feeling of dread fills his chest and he makes up some random girl’s name on the spot. His heart beats fast, afraid that his uncle will demand to see his mark to prove it. But Miraz only nods, clearly thinking Caspian too naïve to lie to him.

That night, the Lord Protector orders his soldiers to find and kill all the girls bearing the name Caspian gave him. The prince never finds out about it.

Even though he can’t share it with anyone, deep down, Caspian is proud to have a king as his soulmate. However, his happiness on the matter grows sour as he becomes older and realizes the real meaning behind his mark.

King Edmund the Just ruled over Narnia hundreds of years ago. No one can survive this long, not even with the help of magic, or at least that’s what Caspian believes. Now, when Cornelius teaches him about the Deep Magic, he can’t help but feel bitter about it. After all, how is he supposed to put his trust in such a power when it made the mistake of intertwining his soul with that of a dead man?

Still, he is fascinated by Narnia, eager to learn more and more about the world his soulmate lived in. Even though he’s convinced they’ll never meet, it makes him feel closer to King Edmund in a way that fills his heart with warmth.

Then his whole world comes crashing down on the night his uncle gets an heir. He’s forced to run away from his home, with no other protection than the mysterious horn given to him by Cornelius.

When he uses it in a moment of panic, the last thing he expects is for it to eventually lead him to his royal soulmate.

* * *

They’ve been back in England for several months when Edmund finally gets his soulmark. He doesn’t realize the change right away, although he does sense some sort of burning in his arm as he is helping Lucy carry groceries home. It’s only later that evening, as he is getting ready to shower, that he notices the scrawl on his skin.

A shocked gasp escapes him as he runs his fingers over the letters. He can barely believe this is real. So there _is_ someone out there waiting for him. However, the relief is bittersweet, because it also means his soulmate is more than a decade younger than him.

He whispers the name of his soulmate under his breath. Caspian. It sounds foreign to him, both as a boy from Finchley and as a king of Narnia.

However, he doesn’t have much time to reflect on it all, because just a second later, his soulmark starts changing. Edmund frowns. Soulmarks evolve with time, he knows it, but to his comprehension, it isn’t supposed to happen this _fast._ Something here isn’t quite right.

Just like that, Caspian becomes _Prince_ Caspian and it’s enough to freeze Edmund with shock. He knows there are princes and kings in his world too, but he can’t shake away the frightening certainty that this Caspian must be from Narnia or at least, one of its bordering kingdoms.

This whole soulmate situation is such a mess that he doesn’t even dwell on the fact that Caspian is apparently a man. Narnia didn’t hold the same distaste against same sex-relationships as England does and Edmund has learned enough about himself during his stay there to know that he isn’t attracted to girls in the slightest. Actually, Caspian being a man may be the least surprising thing in all this.

Okay, so in addition to being a newborn child, his soulmate probably lives in another dimension. Great.

Back when he was a child, Edmund dreamed countless times of running through the house to announce to everyone that he had gotten his mark, _finally_. However, now that it has happened, he refrains from doing so, because he stopped thinking of himself first a long time ago. What good would it do to his siblings to be reminded of Narnia, worse, to dream they’ll find a way back there because he now has the name of a prince on his arm? They already have a tough enough time settling back to life in London without him adding to that prejudice.

And so, when he puts his clothes back on, Edmund covers his forearm like he always does and doesn’t speak a word of soulmates with the rest of his family. He tries not to think about this Prince Caspian, just like he tries to forget about Narnia. All in vain, of course.

That is, until the metro station he’s waiting at with his siblings shatters to make way for a cave by the seaside, and Edmund’s world shifts on its axis. _Again_.

* * *

When Trufflehunter tells Caspian that the horn is rumored to have the power to call the kings and queens of old, he can barely believe it. He distractingly strokes the skin of his forearm, because for the first time in forever, he might actually have a chance to meet his soulmate.

Two nights ago, he wouldn’t have believed in such magic, but two nights ago, he also believed that dwarves and talking badgers had gone extinct. And now that he has hope, no matter how slim, to be with his destined one, he latches onto it with all his strength.

He can’t help but wonder how King Edmund will be in person. Will everything he heard and read about the wise, silver-tongued monarch be true? Will he be as amazing as Caspian has always dreamed him to be?

However, as he muses over all the qualities of King Edmund, Caspian realizes how little he actually has going on for himself. His soulmate is a myth, meanwhile Caspian is nothing but a pathetic, exiled prince on the run, unable to defend his throne against his own uncle. He can’t face King Edmund, not like this. He has to prove himself worthy of his soulmate.

And so, despite Trufflehunter’s insistence to wait for the arrival of the kings and queens of old, Caspian decides to take matters into his own hands. He goes to meet the remaining Narnians, eager to show how he can help them overthrow Miraz and regain their freedom.

When Edmund and him finally meet, Caspian wants the king to be proud of what he’s achieved.

* * *

The moment he comes back to Narnia, Edmund is overwhelmed with joy. However, it soon turns into shock and incomprehension when he understands that hundreds of years have passed since their reign. He struggles to understand how Narnian time is supposed to work, exactly.

He doesn’t have the luxury to linger for too long on his confusion, though, because then they meet Trumpkin, who tells him of a Prince Caspian who called them to Narnia by blowing through a horn and Edmund’s heart almost stops when he hears the name.

No matter how much he wants to stay wary, to preserve himself from false hope and more disillusions, something tells him that it is _his_ Caspian they’re talking about. He’s elated at the prospect of finally meeting him, like he’s been waiting for this moment all of his life. Not only that, but his soulmate _called_ him. He can hardly process how giddy that thought makes him feel.

He doesn’t tell anyone about it though, maybe because some part of him is afraid he’ll jinx himself by saying that Caspian is his soulmate out loud. That doesn’t make him any less impatient to finally see the man.

* * *

Like with most things in his life, Peter beats him to it. But when Edmund’s eyes fall on Caspian for the first time, he forgets to be angry at his brother for meeting him first. He swears he can feel his soul singing just from being in his proximity. It’s a strange feeling, but one that he doesn’t mind in the slightest.

However, he can’t exactly run to him, not when they are surrounded by cautious Narnians and his soulmate is holding Peter at sword point. Ever the diplomat, he stands back and waits for the situation to deescalate. When Caspian finally realizes who they are, his stare flickers towards Edmund and it’s telling enough.

“You’re not exactly what I expected,” Caspian admits.

Despite his words, there is no disappointment in his tone and Edmund lets out a sigh he didn’t realize he had been holding. The Prince was obviously waiting for an older version of him, the one who disappeared through a wardrobe hundreds of years ago, but from the appreciation in his eyes, it’s obvious he doesn’t mind what he got instead.

“Neither are you,” Edmund replies, because all this time he has been stressing out about his soulmate being too young for him when really, Caspian is the oldest one out of the two of them. The situation is so hilarious he could laugh if he wasn’t being watched by dozens of eyes.

Still, Edmund doesn’t feel ready to open his heart completely while being watched by so many strangers. Thankfully, Caspian seems to take the hint, as he doesn’t start bragging about soulmates and destiny in front of their audience. Instead, he subtly brushes Edmund’s hand as he walks past him and whispers “later” in his ear.

The contact is enough to send shivers running through his whole body and ‘later’ can’t come soon enough.

* * *

Later takes a long time to come, no matter how much Caspian wishes to get some time alone with Edmund. With the ongoing war against his uncle, the prince doesn’t get a single minute to himself. His unexpected rivalry with High King Peter doesn’t make things any easier, especially when he would rather be focusing his efforts and attentions on the man’s brother.

He doesn’t have much time to think about developing his relationship with Edmund, though, because soon they’re in the middle of preparing the attack against Miraz’s castle. Caspian thinks it might be his chance to show Edmund how capable he is, to prove that he can be an equal to the queens and kings of old.

Instead, the attack turns into a bloody disaster and Caspian returns to the How with his heart heavy and full of rage at Miraz, at Peter, but mostly at himself. And blinded by it, he almost makes a terrible, unfixable mistake.

* * *

Edmund is with Peter and Lucy, helping the wounded Narnians that managed to escape, when a stinging pain burns through his forearm. Fear overwhelms his mind, a fear that is not his own. He turns towards Peter, alarm in his eyes.

“Something’s wrong with Caspian! We need to find him, now!”

Peter doesn’t ask him how he knows that. They’ve ruled together long enough for his brother to understand that when Edmund looks at him like that, the wisest choice is to follow him without questions. And so they run together into the How, only to discover that the White Witch has almost been brought back to life.

Edmund’s blood runs cold at the sight. Suddenly he’s just a child again, trapped in an ice dungeon and covered in bruises. The monster from his nightmares is right in front of him, almost free, just a few feet away from Caspian.

If someone had asked him beforehand how he would react in such a situation, Edmund would have expected himself to be unable to move, stunned by the shock. Instead, he doesn’t even slow down and just throws himself in the battle against the Witch’s minions. As he fights, there is only one thought running through his mind: he won’t let Jadis ruin his soulmate like she ruined him. He’d rather die than let it happen.

His body moves on instinct and he doesn’t hesitate a single second before slashing through his foe. Through the corner of his eyes, he notices how Peter, Trumpkin and Lucy are getting rid of their opponents as well. Relief courses through his veins when his brother pushes Caspian away from the Witch, but it’s short-lived, because soon it’s Peter who finds himself enraptured by their old enemy.

Edmund doesn’t think twice. He rushes behind the veil of ice and plunges his sword into the Witch’s back, hoping with all his heart that it isn’t too late, that he won’t have to relive the hell he went through the first time he faced her.

The ice cracks and crumbles, and when Edmund looks up, there is no Witch, only Peter and Caspian who are staring at him with dumbfounded eyes.

“I know. You had it sorted.” He remarks sarcastically before turning away.

* * *

A turmoil of emotions is raging in Caspian’s chest and the prince doesn’t know how to calm it down, simply because those feelings aren’t his. Pain pulses through his forearm, so intense that it takes all his will not to let out a sharp cry. The skin that surrounds his soulmark is cold, so cold, as if each letter of Edmund’s name is plagued by frostbite.

His soulmate is hurting and it’s all his fault. Nothing else matters to Caspian at the moment. When he recovers from the shock of the dark ritual, he’s immediately filled with a burning shame. He jumps to his feet, then runs after Edmund. He thinks Peter might have called after him, but he’s not sure, not when he can barely hear anything over the sound of his own heart beating in his ears.

Even though Edmund has gone long out of sight, Caspian somehow knows exactly where to turn to find him. When he finally spots him, Edmund is sitting on the hill outside the How, with his knees tucked close to his chest. He’s staring at the horizon and his eyes are red with unshed tears.

The vision breaks the prince’s heart. Without thinking, he drops to his knees and wraps his arms around Edmund. The king of old sobs against his chest while Caspian gently runs his fingers through his dark hair to comfort him. After a while, Edmund’s breathing settles down and he averts his eyes.

“I’m sorry you had to see me like this.”

“You don’t have to apologize, not when this whole mess started because of me. If I had known they wanted to resurrect the White Witch, I never would have agreed to that plan, I promise…”

At those words, Edmund’s body relaxes slightly and Caspian can tell he’s said the right thing.

“I can’t blame you.” He sighs. “I know what her powers of persuasion are like. In my time, I… I’ve done way worse than you.”

With that, Edmund whispers to him the tale of a traitor and how he mended. The more he talks, the more Caspian’s mind fills with images of a little boy stranded from the rest of his family, cold and hurt and afraid. His grip tightens on Edmund’s shoulders and he promises to himself not to let anyone hurt his soulmate like this ever again.

“I hope you won’t find it too unfair that you’re stuck with me. I know I’m probably not what you’d dreamed of.”

Caspian hates the self-deprecation he can hear in Edmund’s voice with a passion. And he’s also upset at himself, because all this time, he has been so focused on deserving his love that it hasn’t even registered to him that Edmund might think _he_ is the unworthy one.

And he also realizes that while being the soulmate of a legendary king had long seemed like a daunting, almost impossible task to him, loving the boy in his arms comes to him as easily as breathing.

“You’re right, you’re nothing like what I imagined. You’re way better than that.”

Edmund chokes on his breath, but this time, when Caspian looks at him, there’s a small smile on his lips.

* * *

Among all the chaos of their return to Narnia and the almost resurrection of the White Witch, Edmund still hasn’t taken the time to talk with his siblings about how he’s found his soulmate. He doesn’t think it’ll be an issue, not until he notices the way Susan is eyeing Caspian.

He grabs her by the arm when no one’s looking and takes her to a secluded corner so they can talk in peace.

“You shouldn’t do that. He isn’t meant to be yours.”

She sends him a hurt look and her hands clench into fists.

“I’m done waiting for fate to decide who I should be with!” She retorts back, breaking free of his grip.

Her words shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to him. Even though Edmund was the first of his siblings to be bitter at the concept of soulmates, he has stopped being the only one a long time ago. During all the time they have spent reigning over Narnia, he knows they have grown impatient of waiting for a soulmate that never came into their life. In the end, having a mark long before him didn’t do them that much good.

“No, that’s not what I… You don’t understand…”

If Edmund is good with words when it comes to outsiders, with his siblings, it’s another story, so he quickly decides that _showing_ Susan what he means will be more efficient.

He lifts his sleeve, then uncovers his soulmark. She’s the first he’s showing it to, aside from Caspian. When Susan reads the name on his forearm, Edmund spots a sliver of disappointment in her expression, but it quickly turns into a warm smile.

“I didn’t know you had a soulmark. Edmund, that’s wonderful! I’m so happy for you!”

“Well, at first I didn’t tell you because I could tell Caspian lived in Narnia and I feared I would never meet him… And afterward, the right time never really came…” He tries to explain, a little embarrassed.

She interrupts Edmund by drawing him into a hug. Her support means the world to him. He’s clever enough to suspect how bittersweet the news must be to her, but she doesn’t hold it against him, not even for a second.

Of course, once she learns about the bond he shares with Caspian, she’s quick to tell the rest of their siblings about it. Lucy is, unsurprisingly, delighted by this outcome, although she doesn’t lose the chance to tease him about it every opportunity she gets.

He could do without Peter sending death glares at Caspian that clearly means “if you ever hurt my brother, I’ll kill you”, especially since the rivalry between them is still fresh, but overall, everyone reacts well to the news.

Sadly, Edmund doesn’t have much time to rejoice about that, not with the Telmarine troops on their way.

* * *

They win. Caspian gives the Narnians their land and freedom back, just like he promised. After all the hardships he went through to get there, he can barely believe it.

His victory is welcomed by the biggest celebration he has ever witnessed. He dances and sings and drinks all evening, high on the feeling of accomplishment. When fireworks burst in the sky, he can’t help but think of the night he was forced to run away from the castle and how much he’s grown since.

He can’t muse over it for long, however, because soon Edmund slips his hand in his and pulls him aside.

“I have something to show you.” He announces, his eyes glowing with mirth.

They sneak away to an empty room within the castle. There, Edmund exposes his soulmark to him. When he sees it, he misses a breath, because _Prince Caspian_ has turned into _Caspian X, King of Narnia, Lord of Cair Paravel and Emperor of the Lone Islands_. Somehow, seeing it written on Edmund’s skin makes it feel even more real than being crowned king by Aslan.

He’s overcome by joy and before he can stop himself, he’s kissing Edmund and Edmund is kissing him back and nothing has ever felt more perfect in his life.

* * *

The next morning, Edmund wakes up in Caspian’s arms. No nightmare about the White Witch or the bombing raids in London plagued his sleep, not when he felt so safe in the embrace of the new king of Narnia, which is more than welcome. When his soulmate smiles at him, he’s ready to believe that life might be nice to him for once.

All his hopes are shattered when Aslan announces that they must leave Narnia. Silently, he berates himself for falling for the illusion that he’ll ever be allowed good things. Some part of him wants to protest, wants to cling to that slice of happiness he barely got to taste, but he doesn’t because he remembers, for the hundredth time, that he was a traitor once.

He can’t ask this of Aslan, not when the great lion has already given his life for him, all those centuries ago. Oh, his siblings have tried to hide it from him, probably to spare him the guilt, but rumors aren’t extinguished that easily and the paintings he found in the How were pretty explicit anyway.

So he bites his tongue and stays silent, no matter how much it costs him.

Caspian doesn’t.

“Please, you can’t take Edmund away!” He begs. “He is my fated one.”

There is so much despair and sorrow in the king’s eyes that Edmund wishes he could just run into his arms to comfort him. Instead, he stares at the ground, expecting to be told that they can’t be together, that the choice is not for them to make.

Because of that, he misses the brief look of surprise on Aslan’s face.

“Is it true, my child?” The lion asks him softly.

“It is,” Edmund replies, his heart in his throat.

Aslan’s regal traits turn thoughtful for a second, then he declares:

“If destiny has decided so, then no one should go against it. You can stay with King Caspian, if you so desire.”

Edmund can barely believe it. Sobs of joy shake his body as he exclaims:

“I do, I do!”

Caspian rushes to him and holds him tight, while many Narnians cheer about their new king having already found his soulmate. Their euphory is only cut short when Lucy asks in a sad voice:

“But if Edmund stays here… Then that means we won’t see him again?”

His stomach drops at the realization. Staying with his soulmate means losing his family and vice versa. It is an impossible choice, one that he doesn’t want to make. Thankfully, Aslan seems to take pity on him, because he sighs then announces:

“It would be cruel of me to separate you from your brother forever. You’ll be allowed to come to visit him here, in Narnia, if you wish.”

“Even us?” Peter asks incredulously while pointing at himself and Susan.

“Yes, even you,” Aslan confirms.

At this, all of his siblings join into the hug and Edmund swears he even hears the great lion chuckle as they do so. Later on, he’ll learn about how this was supposed to be Susan and Peter’s last trip to Narnia and how grateful they are to be able to come back, all thanks to him.

For now, he just basks in the happiness of the moment.

* * *

Caspian settles well in his role as king, especially with Edmund here to help as his personal advisor. His soulmate proves to be the best diplomat, not that he had any doubt left about that after he tricked Miraz into a duel against Peter. Together, they bring Narnia into a new era of peace, and soon enough the kingdom is stable enough for Caspian to set sails to the Lonely Islands like he has long dreamed to.

Their journey takes an unexpected turn when not only does Lucy join them, but also her cousin Eustace, which Edmund doesn’t seem to be particularly fond of.

“I thought Edmund moved _abroad_!” The newcomer accuses in a distressed tone.

“Well, to be fair, I believe Narnia is the most _abroad_ you can get from England,” Edmund replies with a laugh.

They sail farther than they expected to, encounter many dangers, and reach the end of the world. Tales of their adventures quickly spread and they’re not even back home yet when Edmund shows Caspian, in the privacy of their cabin on the _Dawn Treader,_ that his soulmark has changed yet again. A new title has been added to his titles: _The Seafarer._ He likes the sound of it, but he cherishes even more the pride he can see in Edmund’s eyes at the discovery.

* * *

When they return home to Narnia, Caspian and Edmund decide it’s more than time for them to get officially engaged. They didn’t take the time for it before, not when there always seemed to be another priority at hand and their soulmarks proved how important they were to one another anyway.

Susan and Lucy organize most of the ceremony and Peter is the one to walk Edmund down the aisle. The wedding ends up being grandiose and all of Narnia speaks of it for weeks on end. It’s rumored that even Aslan himself showed up at the venue before disappearing again, like he always does.

That night, Caspian’s soulmark changes for the first and last time. He doesn’t even notice it at first, not until his now husband points it out in between two passionate kisses. He runs his fingers down the new letters, then raises an eyebrow at him.

“King-consort Edmund the Just? Really? Looks like I’ve already been relegated to just being your spouse.”

There is no bite in his words and Caspian knows him well enough to recognize his teasing tone.

“Don’t worry, you know you’ll always be a noble and mighty king of old in my eyes.” He jokes.

“Oh, is that so?” Edmund laughs and all Caspian can think about is how it must be the most beautiful sound in the world.

He entangles their fingers together so their soulmarks are touching, and a pleasant warmth takes hold of their bodies. They’re both grinning like fools and it only takes a second before their lips meet once more. They close their eyes in bliss, lost in each other. For the next few hours, they forget about the rest of the world.

Maybe fate played with their hearts a little, what with the difference between Earth and Narnia time confusing them and all, but in the end, they don’t mind, because they truly are the perfect match for each other.


End file.
